A. —4b.

Is it not only after the people themselves are agreeable ?—That is not told to us ; it is done by force. We have not been told that it rests with the people whether it should be done or not. Would you be satisfied if that were the position, and that it could only be subdivided if the people were agreeable ? —No ; I do not wish to be satisfied with it. Is it not your objection that if the land were subdivided you would not have young men to work for you ?—I am not satisfied with the subdivision, because that would break the peace amongst the people. You made a complaint that the Faipule was interfering with you when you were a Fa'amasino : did you report that to any official of the Government ?—I reported the matter about one hundred times, and to Mr. Griffin, but no notice was taken of it. Did you ever put it in writing ?—I saw him personally. You did not write to him ?—No, but I wanted to hear what he had to say about the matter. Mr. Baxter.'] This idea that you were separating from New Zealand : is that an idea you had in your own head or is it an idea that you obtained from the Mau ?—lt is the opinion of the Mau as well as myself. How long have you had that opinion ? —The epidemic of November, 1918 made me start that way, when all the members of my family were wiped out. Autac.avaia Sjaupiu sworn and examined. Mr. Slipper.] Have you been banished ? —Yes, I have been banished three times by His Excellency the Administrator and the Faipules. Did you have a written order in each case ? —Mr. Griffin ordered me to a certain place. Was that the first banishment ?—The first banishment was by the Administrator. Mr. MacFarland was the interpreter. Did you have a written paper then ?—I was advised that 1 was banished from my village, Palauli, in Savai'i, and I was to remain in Falealupo. Can you tell the Commission when that first banishment was ? —I cannot remember the year, but it was while Colonel Tate was the Administrator at Samoa. What were you banished for ? —My people and myself in my district objected to a Plantation Inspector of another district exercising his powers in our district. For what period were you banished at that time ? —During both the Administrator's and Faipules' pleasure. I was there for six months. Where were you living at the time of your banishment ? —I was ordered to leave Palauli and to remain in Falealupo. How was your banishment order removed after the six months % —I, together with another person who was banished in the same way, was brought before Mr. Griffin and was informed that the punishment was ended. Was this all the notice you got ?—That was the only notice I received. Was that also in Colonel Tate's time ? —Still in Colonel Tate's time. Coming now to the second banishment, will you tell the Commission about that : how long ago was that ? —Colonel Tate was succeeded by the present Administrator. Was the present Administrator in office then?— Yes. Was this the paper, or does it apply to the three banishments, or was it shortly after General Richardson came here in 1923 ? —This is the second banishment. So you have been banished again since this one ?—The third banishment was this year, comencing in May. This is your second banishment order and it is dated 11th June, 1925. [Exhibit No. 28.] In the order that is before the Commissioners how many miles away were you banished ? —About thirtyfour miles. Was there any arrangement made for your keep at the place you were sent to by the Administrator ? —No. I asked that some arrangement should be made in regard to my support in the new place where I took up my residence, but they would not do anything. Had you not relations there ?—No, only my father's sister, who was living there with her husband. Did you live with them ? —No, but I went and lived with her children. My father's sister died by this time. They were your cousins, were they not % —Yes. Have you a wife and children ? —Yes. Did you take them with you ? —Yes, we all shifted to Safune. Did you leave any property behind % —Three houses and a lot of land. Was there anything on the land ?—Coconuts, cocoa, bananas, and taro. Was there anybody there to look after the land ? —No. Is that banishment finished, or is it still in existence ?—Yes. Did you then return to Palauli ? —Yes, when the Administrator remitted the banishment order. How long had you been away ? —I was away from my home for eighteen months. When you returned what condition did you find the houses in ?—The big house which was under construction and which I had to leave, was broken down ; it was not completed. The other two were not so bad, but were in a fairly dilapidated condition and needed repairs. What was the condition of the plantation ? —The plantation was in a very bad way. I will have to replant the whole of my plantations. They will require cleaning up. Were the coconut-trees injured by this neglect ?—The trees have been killed, and only the dead trees remain. The younger trees were killed by the weeds.

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